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Springfield mayor resigns amid claims of criminal past

Springfield mayor Jeff Northway’s past has apparently led him to resign from office.

Northway notified the city by letter on July 12 of his decision.

Northway had recently won a court battle with the city when the Georgia Supreme Court overruled a Superior Court order ousting him from office.

Following the Supreme Court’s ruling the city said it discovered Northway was a convicted felon and as a result is ineligible to hold office.

According to documents received by Effingham Now from the city of Springfield under Georgia’s Open Records Act, the city told Northway’s attorney, Charles Herman, that it had discovered that Northway was convicted of two felonies: theft by receiving and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle in 1983 in Harris County, Texas. The city documents also state that Northway pled guilty and received a three year sentence on those charges and was convicted again in 1989 of a third felony for unauthorized use of a vehicle.

In a letter from Claude M. Kicklighter, city attorney for the Northway litigation, to Herman, Kicklighter wrote that the city would file a petition with the court if Northway did not resign immediately.

Herman, on behalf of Northway, agreed that the mayor would resign and asked the city to keep the circumstances of the resignation confidential. Herman neither confirmed, or denied the city’s claims.

In a response, city attorney Rick Rafter noted the criminal record of Northway was public record.

Rafter also wrote in his response to Herman that the city would seek reimbursement of all attorney fees in connection with the Northway litigation, due to Northway’s “false swearing on the notice of candidacy and perjury during his deposition.”

Neither Northway, nor his attorney could be reached for comment.

Rafter said for now the mayor pro-tem, Jeff Ambrose, would continue to serve as mayor. Northway’s term would have ended in November 2013.

Rafter said he would be reviewing the issue to see whether the city will be required to hold a special election.